The Players Championship in Florida has been cancelled after one round with organizers saying it was “the proper activity” so as to safety measure against the spread of coronavirus.

The PGA Tour has additionally delayed all competitions between now and the Masters – the main major of 2020 – which is scheduled to begin at Augusta National in Georgia on 9 April.

The Tour stated: “Now – and as the circumstance proceeds to quickly change – the correct activity for our players and our fans is to stop.”

The event, held at TPC Sawgrass, is not a major championship but is often referenced Earlier on Thursday organisers said fans would not be able to attend the prestigious course for the final three rounds of play.

But later they announced: “It is with regret that we are announcing the cancellation of The Players Championship.

“We have also decided to cancel all PGA Tour events – across all of our Tours – in the coming weeks, through the Valero Texas Open.

“We have pledged from the start to be responsible, thoughtful and transparent with our decision process. We did everything possible to create a safe environment for our players in order to continue the event throughout the weekend, and we were endeavouring to give our fans a much-needed respite from the current climate.”

Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama shot a nine-under 63 to equal the course record on Friday.

The Players Championship was first played in 1974 and has never been cancelled.

On Thursday, the next three tournaments on the LPGA Tour – including the first major of the year – were postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak.